In a process widely used at present, an electrotype shell is laminated to an aluminum base through sheets of plastic, nylon, and cheesecloth all of which are heated as a "sandwich" unit and squeezed together under a hydraulic ram, then cooled while still under pressure.
After these components are laminated together as one unit, this unit is then trimmed of excess shell and plastic, and then placed in a boring machine where it is machined to the proper thickness for the press. Often plates have been damaged, many beyond repair, by accidentally shaving corners or other areas too thin. Either expensive and time consuming repairs are needed, or a new plate must be made.
The plate may then have a hole punched in each end to accommodate the pins of the pin register machinery. Then in sequence the plate is "tailed" on one machine, scarfed on another machine, and end cut on still another machine. It is then routed before being mounted on a press.
One disadvantage in this process is the high cost of the aluminum bases used. They are not reused and instead can only be disposed of as scrap. Other significant disadvantages include the many hours of labor consumed in completing the various operations.
In the manufacturing of the electrotype shell, a plastic "mat", typically of a vinyl plastic is made and used as a master for construction of the shell by electroplating. Once these mats are no longer needed they are disposed of as waste.